It goes without saying that we just had to give an official TwentyTweets congratulations to Olivia Culpo – Miss Rhode Island, Miss USA, and now, Miss Universe.

This 20-year-old Boston University student is a native of Cranston, RI. She made history earlier this year when she was crowned Miss USA and became the first Rhode Islander ever to win this title.

As if that’s not enough, she went on to beat out 88 other beauty queens from six continents at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip last night. She brings the crown back to the United States for the first time in 15 years!

The Associated Press reports, “After the show, Culpo appeared wearing a white gold crown atop her long brown hair and told a group of reporters she hoped to bring the country some good news in the wake of the deadly school shooting in Connecticut. ‘It’s such an honor to be representing the USA in an international beauty contest in spite of all the tragedy that’s happened in this country lately,’ she said. ‘I really hope that this this will raise everybody’s spirits a little.'”

Olivia’s entrance during the opening number last night.

How inspiring is she? As the daughter of two professional musicians, she grew up going to band camp and mastered the cello at an early age. Her father called her the “nerdiest” of her siblings, and her brother recalled that she was “really chubby and sort of weird when she was younger.”

Not so chubby anymore! She rocked some stunning outfits during last night’s pageants. What’s even more amazing? She openly admits to competing in the Miss Rhode Island contest in a rented $20 dress with a hole in it. Only after being crowned did she start working out, dieting, and studying current events to compete for the Miss USA.